Kenny Dale "Bluest Heartache Of The Year" (Capitol Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by A.V. Mittelstedt)
This is the first album by New Mexico-born countrypolitan crooner Kenny Dale, who I think by this time had moved to Texas... The record kicks off with a surprisingly robust, bouncy country tune, with enough fiddle and pedal steel to make my ears perk up... The studio crew included fiddler Frenchie Burke, guitar picker Randy Cornor and backup singer Donna Hazard, among others. From this twangy start, Dale soon lapses into much softer, pop vocals-oriented performances, reminiscent of Mac Davis and/or Andy Williams. He's got the pipes, but you have to question the overall taste level at work here. A mix of covers ("Crazy," "Misty," "Release Me," Mickey Newbury's "An American Trilogy...") and some mostly unmemorable originals, including a couple credited to producer A.V. Mittelstedt and two by W. W. Wimberly -- the track that kicked the album off, Wimberly's "Shame Shame On Me," is the best thing on here. But even if you like countrypolitan pop, I can't say I'd really recommend this album. I mean, I didn't think it was possible to record a bad version of "Crazy," but they did.

Kenny Dale "Red Hot Memory" (Capitol Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by A.V. Mittelstedt)
As on his first album, Kenny Dale seems to be taking a try-anything, see-what-sticks approach to this album, rapidly shifting from the relatively robust opening song, an old-fashioned Texas shuffle called "Red Hot Memory," into gooier, less effective countrypolitan material. His limitations as a vocalist become more apparent, as well -- indeed, he seems to slide off-key on more tunes than you might imagine. In some ways, this disc reflects the identity crisis of late-'70s Top Forty country, though in retrospect, Dale's rural-yet-bland vocals also anticipate a much, much country sound, the poppy style of the late 1990s and early '00s -- this is a guy who would have flourished in the era of auto-tuning and country-soul ballads. As before, the Houston-scene musicians backing him (producer A.V. Mittelstedt's crew) bring a mildly unique feel to some of this material, with stalwarts Randy Cornor and Donna Hazard in the studio once again. Worth a spin... not dazzling, but there is some grit underneath all the glitter.

Kenny Dale "Only Love Can Break A Heart" (Capitol Records, 1979) (LP)

Kenny Dale "When It's Just You and Me" (Capitol Records, 1981) (LP)

Maria Dallas -- see artist profile

Lacy J. Dalton -- see artist profile

Dick Damron "More Than Countryfied: Early Recordings, 1959-1976" (Bear Family Records, 2011)
A 3-CD set exploring the work of Canadian country star Dick Damron, from his rockabilly roots to his country years, working in Nashville. Expect the usual high-class Bear Family archival treatment: copious liner notes and great sound quality.

Dale Daniel "Luck Of Our Own" (BNA Records, 1994)
(Produced by Jerry Crutchfield)
The lone solo album from this modest Nashville songbird... It's fairly generic early-'90s Nashville fare, with an okay bouncy, uptempo opening track, "In The Middle Of A Miracle," and then a bunch of less vigorous stuff, much of which has tinkly, thin-sounding production that sounds like leftovers from the 'Eighties. She's an okay singer, I guess, but doesn't make much of an impression. Strangely enough, the Nashville establishment seems to have agreed: not a single track on here got the least bit of traction in the Billboard charts... That's harsh! I mean, she kinda sounds like everybody else, so she must have had some major strikes against her to get so little love from the hitmakers... Wonder what the deal was... (?)

Davis Daniel "Fighting Fire With Fire" (Mercury Records, 1991)
(Produced by Ron Hafkine)
The first album by Midwestern pop-country singer Davis Daniel, ne Robert Andrykowski, who was born in Illinois, but grew up elsewhere. This album includes all three of his biggest hits, "Fighting Fire With Fire" and "Picture Me," which both eked into the Top Forty, and his highest-charting single, "For Crying Out Loud," which peaked at #13. Like many a Nashville star before him, Daniel started out with a bang, but slid down into the Back Forty, and gradually eased his way out of the spotlight. He resurfaced with a new band, circa 2001, but was unable to regain the momentum he'd had a decade earlier.

Davis Daniel "Davis Daniel" (Polygram Records, 1994)

Davis Daniel "I Know A Place" (A&M Records, 1996)
(Produced by Ed Seay & Harold Shedd)

Davis Daniel "It's About Time" (Klever Records, 1994)

Davis Daniel "Is It Just Me?" (Klever Records, 2010)

Charlie Daniels Band -- see artist profile

Helen Darling "Helen Darling" (Decca Records, 1995)
(Produced by Michael Omartian & Mark Wright)
In the early '90s, Darling worked as a backup singer for Garth Brooks, and he sings on a couple of songs on this album. She co-wrote a couple of these songs on here, including "I Haven't Found It Yet," which was one of the singles. The album tanked, though: the highest charting single was the girl-powerish feminist anthem, "Jenny Come Back," about a girl who plays dumb and goes out with jocks when she "could have been anything," and winds up unhappy as an adult. It only hit #69 on the charts and afterwards Darling turned her efforts towards songwriting. Her most notable success was "Bring On the Rain," which was a Number One hit for Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw in 2002. This was her only album, though it has its charms.

Johnny Darrell -- see artist profile

Dave & Sugar -- see artist profile

Clay Davidson "Unconditional" (Virgin Records, 2000)
(Produced by Scott Hendricks & Jude Cole)
This appears to be the only album by singer Clay Davidson, a Virginia native who made his way to Nashville after winning a regional country music talent show, and landed a major-label contract a few years later. The set is mainly super-generic, rock-flavored country, wearing the tough-but-sensitive country stud act out to the hilt, with plenty of rehashed Southern rockisms, contrasted by swooping string sections on the slower tunes. Very much a Toby Keith wannabee ( ...and what a scary thought that is!) Davidson's career seems to have fallen victim to corporate mergers and budgetary belt-tightening, though, really, this seems like kind af a tepid offering to begin with. The title track did well, pegging out at #3 on the charts, while two other singles lingered a few notches lower, and no singles were recorded or released after the Virgin Nashville label folded into the larger EMI framework. At any rate, you can probably pass on this one.

Gail Davies -- see artist profile

Jimmie Davis -- see artist discography

Linda Davis - see artist discography

Mac Davis - see artist discography

Skeeter Davis - see artist discography

Stephanie Davis - see artist discography

Jennifer Day "The Fun Of Your Love" (BNA Records, 1999)
(Produced by Robert Byrne)
Poppy, perky, bland, forgettable late '90s stuff. More pop than country, if you ask me, but a lot of stuff was back then. Includes a couple of songs co-written with Carolyn Dawn Johnson, and a lot of light, bouncy guitar sounds. Fans of SheDaisy, perhaps, might like this.

Billy Dean -- see artist profile

Jimmy Dean -- see artist profile

Duane Dee "My Shining Hour" (Capitol Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Kelso Herston)
According to the liner notes, this Wisconsinite was singing in Milwaukee nightclubs when country star Bobby Lord spotted him and invited him to sing on his TV show. This opened the doors to a Nashville career, and a contract with Capitol Records right off the bat. Duane Dee had modest success with his 1967 recording of "Before The Next Teardrop Falls" -- his was the first version to chart and almost cracked the Top 40, peaking at #44 in Billboard. Later, after being dropped by Capitol, he did have a Top Forty hit with a country cover of the Bee Gees song "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart," though the thrill was short-lived, and not to be repeated. Thus, this disc remains his only full-length mainstream album, though he did plug away as a singles artist for several years, first with a few more Capitol seven-inches, then on labels such as Cartwheel and ABC, which he recorded for up until around 1975.

Jackson Delaney "Jackson Delaney" (EP) (Junebug Records, 2012)
(Produced by Gary Hannan)
Independently-produced, Top-40 style tough-guy country of the Trace Adkins/Montgomery Gentry variety. The production is a little over-obvious: big electric guitar riffs, crossing Southern rock with shimmering reverb, straight out of the Toby Keith playbook, and the songs are kind of what you'd expect: rough and tumble rowdy barroom ballads, one about his old small-town girlfriend who he married after sowing their oats in a wild truck driving youth; a chest-thumper honoring American soldiers... All standard-issue modern Nashville stuff. But Delaney's got a good voice and a charismatic presence -- more of his personality comes out on the rootsier-sounding "You Make Me Wanna," which has kind of a Merle Haggard vibe. The anti-drug novelty song "The Good Drugs" is a hoot: he was drug to church and drug out to the shed when it was time for a strapping... That song makes this one a keeper!! I looked forward to hearing more Delaney, but this appears to have been his only record. Oh, well.

Wesley Dennis "Wesley Dennis" (Mercury Nashville, 1995)
(Produced by Keith Stegall)
This Alabama-born neo-tradder had a trio of singles that grazed the middle of the Hot 100, but that wasn't enough to earn him a shot at a second album. His debut record includes his highest-charting song, "I Don't Know (But I've Been Told)" which topped out at #46 the Billboard Top 100, as well as the non-single novelty song, "This Hat Ain't No Act." Despite help in the studio from Alan Jackson's producer Keith Stegall, the album flopped and Dennis was -- like so many others -- unceremoniously dropped from his label. He later self-released a couple of albums, although chart success had become a distant dream. Nashville is a hard, tough town.

Wesley Dennis "Country To The Core" (1999)

Wesley Dennis "Country Enough" (Dirt Road Records, 2012)

John Denver -- see artist profile

Desert Rose Band -- see artist profile

Diamond Rio - see artist discography

Little Jimmy Dickens - see artist discography

Joe Diffie - see artist discography

Craig Dillingham "Almost Yesterday" (Carnival Recording Company, 2004)
(Produced by Frank Lidell, Joe Manuel & Mike McCarthy)
A great "comeback" album from a Texas fella who recorded several singles in the early 1980s on the Curb label, but wasn't even given the chance to release an album before they dropped him. Why? Well, judging from this pedal-steel and western swing-laced gem, I'd say the reason was he was just too darn country. Nice crooning, soulful drawl, with plenty of smooth, sweet twang. Trust me: this one's worth checking out! [By the way, you can find some of Dillingham's earlier recordings on early '80s cast albums from the late-vintage edition of the Louisiana Hayride. Check out our Locals Only country guide.]

Dean Dillon & Gary Stewart "Brotherly Love" (RCA Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Kilroy)
A consummate Music City insider, songwriter Dean Dillon grew up in Lake City, Tennessee and started his career in nearby Knoxville, although he felt the pull of Nashville while still in his teens. First signing to Plantation Records and later to RCA, he recorded a few random singles under a few different stage names before settling on the Dean Dillon persona. Although he enjoyed modest chart action in the late 'Seventies and early 'Eighties, both as a solo artist and as the duet partner of roadhouse avatar Gary Stewart, Dillon's biggest success came as a songwriter, with several of his tunes recorded by both Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith, but most notably with over fifty(!) of his songs recorded by George Strait, almost all of them co-composed with other writers. This was the first of two Dillon-Stewart LPs, with the title track, "Brotherly Love," narrowly missing entry into the country Top Forty.

Dean Dillon & Gary Stewart "Those Were The Days" (RCA Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Blake Mevis)

Dean Dillon "Slick Nickel" (Capitol Records, 1988)
(Produced by Randy Scruggs)

Dean Dillon "I've Learned To Live" (Capitol Records, 1989)
(Produced by Dean Dillon, Glenn Meadows, Ron Reynolds, Andy Seagle & Randy Scruggs)

Dean Dillon "Out Of Your Ever Lovin' Mind" (Atlantic Records, 1991)
(Produced by Dean Dillon & Nelson Larkin)

Dean Dillon "Hot, Country And Single" (Atlantic Records, 1993)
(Produced by Garth Fundis)

Dean Dillon "Feather Of A Different Bird" (Tenorado Records, 2011)
(Produced by Garth Fundis)

Dixiana "Dixiana" (Sony-Epic Records, 1992)
(Produced by Bob Montgomery & Gene Eichelberger)
Another moderately-successful none-hit wonder, one-album band... Lead singer Cindy Murphy had a slightly rugged voice, but it's at odds with the glossy, belatedly '80s-ed-out production; hard to tell whether she bugs me because she's singing in the wrong style, or whether she just bugs me. At any rate, this is one of those bands that never quite manages to strike the right balance between honkytonk and country-pop (they try, but their "hard" country sound is still too glossy) and I wasn't able to find anything here that appealed to me. Still, if you are a fan of, say, the Judds, or Juice Newton, you might like this as well. The group consisted of Randall Griffith, brothers Mark Lister and Phil Lister, lead singer Cindy Murphy and a fellow named Colonel Shuford. Not sure where they were all from originally, though they had released at least a couple of indie-label singles in the '80s, before they got their major-label deal

Dixie Chicks - see artist discography

Deryl Dodd "One Ride In Vegas" (Columbia Records, 1996)
(Produced by Blake Chancey & Chip Young)
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Deryl Dodd worked as a Nashville songwriter and tour band musician during the early 1990s, signing to Columbia and recording his first album mid-decade. A twangy neo-tradder, Dodd had limited success in the charts, with only two singles that cracked into the Top Forty, including his cover of Tom T. Hall's "That's How I Got To Memphis," which was included on this album and peaked at #36. His career also stumbled due to health problems which sidelined him in 2000 as he was beginning to gain traction. Despite these challenges, Dodd has had a memorable career, including his later return to his indie roots in the Lone Star State. Cruising along the edge of "young country" Top 40 and Joe Ely-style bar band rowdiness, Deryl Dodd has a pleasantly un-perfect voice which makes him human enough to feel a little "alt"... The guy sounds pretty darn good, if you ask me!

Deryl Dodd "Deryl Dodd" (Columbia Records, 1998)
(Produced by Blake Chancey & Chip Young)
Damn... this is a mighty fine, mighty fun little record! It's really a shame that such a fine record as this only barely scratched the Nashville Top 40... what is wrong with those people? Anyway, this is well worth looking for, packed with fun, rootsy numbers that have a strong melodic fell, but plenty of forward, propulsive momentum, smart-alecky lyrics and heartfelt delivery. Plus, he just doesn't bather messing around with crappy, sappy power ballads, so there's nothing on here to harsh the high of the true country fan. Take for example, the track, "30-30," with this fab chorus: "Hindsight's not 20-20/It's more like a 30-30..." With lyrics like that... how can ya lose? It's a really good album... heck, I kept my copy, and I'm pretty damn picky.

Deryl Dodd "Pearl Snaps" (Lucky Dog Records, 2002)
This album was half-comeback, half kiss-off, a best-of-ish collection which fulfilled Dodd's Columbia contract while also placing him back on the map following his two-year long recovery from viral encephalitis. The title track to the best-of set is pretty irresistible and catchy... it's followed up by two other great tunes, "She's Have You Back" and a nice rendition of Tom T. Hall's "That's How I Got To Memphis," which was his first big hit several years earlier. From there it's a steady slide into commercial formulae, but on the whole this is a pretty decent collection. Plus, I have to confess I've always been partial to Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown..." Dodd's version ain't as great as Lightfoot's, but that's a tough standard to live up to, and Dodd does alright. This is definitely on the pop side, but worth checking out. I dig this guy!

Deryl Dodd "Live At Billy Bob's Texas" (Smith's Music Group, 2003)

Deryl Dodd "Stronger Proof" (Dualtone Records, 2004)
(Produced by Deryl Dodd & Shane Decker)
Hey, let's hear it for Deryl Dodd: he still rocks. Or, to be more accurate, he still plays some great, hard-edged melodic country music. A couple of songs on here go off the rails into some shrill Southern rock riffs that made me hit "fast forward," but the rest of the album had the kinda twang that makes me put an album on "repeat." This is good stuff... If you liked his earlier albums, this one won't disappoint you. It's worth checking out, kids!

Deryl Dodd "Full Circle" (Dualtone Records, 2007)

Deryl Dodd "Stronger Proof" (Dualtone Records, 2008)

Deryl Dodd "Random As I Am" (Smith Entertainment, 2011)

Johnny Dollar -- see artist profile

Casey Donahew "Lost Days" (2006)
A rough-and-ready "red dirt" singer from Burleson, Texas, Casey Donahew came up through the same regional scene that nurtured folks like Pat Green and Randy Rogers, and similarly skirted the edges of the national country charts while keeping true to the Lone Star country vibe. As with others who straddled the worlds of Top Country and indie-twang/Americana, Donahew enjoyed success on the album-oriented charts, though hit singles proved elusive. Not sure which of these self-released early albums came out first...

Casey Donahew "The Casey Donahew Band" (2006)
(Produced by Eric Herbst & Joel Fountain)

Casey Donahew "Moving On" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2009)

Casey Donahew "Double-Wide Dream" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2011)

Casey Donahew "Standoff" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2013)

Casey Donahew "All Night Party" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2016)

Casey Donahew "Fifteen Years: The Wild Ride" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2017)

Casey Donahew "One Light Town" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2019)

Casey Donahew "Lost My Brother's Goat" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2020)

Casey Donahew "Built Different" (Almost Country Entertainment, 2022)

Dottsy "The Sweetest Thing" (RCA Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Roy Dea, Al Pachucki & Bill Vandervort)
An amiable minor leaguer who had a few respectable chart hits in the mid-'70s, Texas native Dottsy (nee Dorothy Brodt...) hitched a ride with Johnny Rodriguez's road show, and after a half year or so touring with him, landed a contract with RCA. She had an okay voice, nothing earthshaking, but sincere and heartfelt, perhaps a little on the demure side, as if she could easily be overwhelmed by a powerful enough arrangement. There wasn't too much risk of that, though: the band behind her was pretty much a standard-issue Nashville studio session crew, and they stuck to a mellow, low-key tempo. The song selection was interesting, though -- in addition to some bland offerings by John Denver and Billy Joel, she also covered a few folks from the nascent "outlaw" scene, including a ballad by Kinky Friedman(!), Jessi Colter's "Storms Never Last," and a slushy version of Susannah Clark's "I'll Be Your San Antone Rose" (which she apparently got first crack at, ahead of Emmylou Harris...) Nothing all that compelling, but a nice slice of '70s style country crooning, with backing by a bunch of Nashville "usual suspect" superpickers -- Harold Bradley, Bobby Emmons, Weldon Myrick, Jerry Shook, et. al.

Dottsy "Tryin' To Satisfy You" (RCA Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Roy Dea)
Some major star power on this one, with Waylon Jennings making a guest appearance, harmonizing on the title track, one of his own compositions, which was a #12 hit for Dottsy in this version. Another single, "(After Sweet Memories) Play Born to Lose Again," hit #10 and was her biggest career single. Janie Fricke is also on here, just as she was emerging on her own as a solo artist after working for years as a Nashville backup singer. This was Dottsy's last major label album; she headed back to Texas and immersed herself in family life, though she continued to perform regionally, and decades later recorded some albums on the powerhouse indie Heart Of Texas Records.

Dottsy "Meet Me In Texas" (Heart Of Texas Records, 2010)
(Produced by Justin Trevino)

Dottsy "Texas Sensation" (Heart Of Texas Records, 2016)
(Produced by Justin Trevino)

Dusty Drake "Dusty Drake" (Warner Brothers, 2003)
(Produced by Billy Crain, Clarke Schleicher & Paul Worley)
The lone (official) album by singer Dusty Drake (ne Dean Anthony Buffalini) a neo-trad artist from Pennsylvania who had spent the better part of a decade working in Nashville as a backing musician and aspiring songwriter before landing his own contract as a solo artist. Several singles were released off this album, with "One Last Time" cracking into the Top Thirty. That wasn't enough for the major label beancounters, and Drake was dropped by Warner Brothers. That's just plain mean.

Dusty Drake "Dusty Drake At A Honky-Tonk Near You" (Big Machine Records, 2007) (unreleased)
Though signed to a new label and able to record another album, Dusty Drake remained star-crossed: despite the early release of a single that cracked the Top Forty ("Say Yes") the album was shelved and Drake was left to fend for himself. Despite this, a few promotional copies were released into the wild, and I suppose it's possible the album might properly see the light of day, someday, if nostalgia for early '00s Nashville pop-country ever peaks in the future.

Guy Drake "Welfare Cadillac" (Royal American Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Don Hosea)
A lethargic country comedy album with a distinctly conservative political bent... The title track, "Welfare Cadillac," was a novelty hit featuring a recitation backed by a sedate country band, and was based on the persistent myth about welfare "cheats" who were filing multiple claims, stockpiling huge amounts of cash, and buying houses and cars with all that dough. Of course, that's all total BS, but the myth lives on, and a few years later, Ronald Reagan would use the story of a "welfare queen" living high on the hog while hard-working taxpayers had to foot the bill. Kentucky-born Guy Drake scored a minor hit with this tune, and on this full-length album also commented upon politics, sex education, anti-smoking campaigns and other timely topics. He also covered the faux-hick big band-era oldie, "Life Gets Tee-Jus, Don't It," while poking fun at the music business on tunes like "Songwriter Talking The Blues" and "Born To Be An Opry Star."

Pete Drake -- see artist profile

Rusty Draper "Greatest Hits" (Collector's Choice Records, 1999)
The good-natured, modestly talented Rusty Draper (1923-2003) was a Missouri native with tangential ties to the Ozarks country scene who scored a couple of big hits in the 1950s country charts (most notably "Gambler's Guitar," which hit #6). Mostly he was a pop singer, following in Pat Boone's footsteps, and often brought country tunes over into the Pop charts in cutesy renditions such as his goofy, rinky-dink cover of the Carlisle's "No Help Wanted," or his skiffle-influenced 1957 cover of Elizabeth Cotten's folk-blues classic, "Freight Train." (It's worth noting that Draper was one of several white artists who accepted the fraudulent authorship claims of British "composers" who had stolen the copyright from Cotten, and took her royalties for many years before she was able to get her ownership restored. It's doubtful Draper knew any of this, but it's still historically troublesome.) Anyway, most twangfans will probably find this collection pretty underwhelming, though any fans from way back were doubtless thrilled to see all these '50s/'60s oldies back in print. It's a nice summation of Draper's early years -- not gripping material, but cute in a Norman Rockwell-ish, Eisenhower-era kinda way.

Rusty Draper "No Help Wanted" (Jasmine Records, 2009)
A 2-CD set that supersedes the Collector's Choice disc listed above... After one big, million-selling country hit in the early 'Fifties, Draper kind of pottered around for a couple of decades, mostly scoring hits in the pop sphere, though often portraying himself as a folk/country artist, and continuing to cover country material in hopes of the kinds of crossover hits he'd had in the 'Fifties. These faux-twang singles didn't make the country charts in the late 'Fifties or early 'Sixties, though starting in the late '60s Draper had a brief resurgence on the Country charts, albeit as a back forty artist. I should probably post a full discography page of his work sometime... but I just don't have the bandwidth right now.

Don Drumm "Bedroom Eyes" (Churchill Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Millsap)
A really nice set of independently-produced 'Seventies style honkytonk pop, from New England-born singer Don Drumm. He wasn't any great shakes as a vocalist, but this is a fine set of songs, with plainly-arranged, straightforward accompaniment. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Most of the songs were written by his pal, Ray Hillburn, who sings backup along with the Cates Sisters, who were making a go of it themselves on Ovation Records around the same time. Side One of the album is packed with Hillburn songs, including a couple that hit the Top 40 ("Bedroom Eyes" and "Just Another Rhinestone") while Side Two has a wimpier, poppier sound, finishing up with the only track written by Drumm, "You'd Be Beautiful (In A Children's Book)" which is actually a better song than the title implies. Highlights include "Brother, I'm Glad She Found Me" and "Sad Songs" (again, written by Ray Hillburn) and their cover of Chips Moman's outlaw anthem, "Luckenbach, Texas." This is swell record, a modest late-'70s gem that reminds me of Bill Phillip's "comeback" album of the same era. Worth looking for.

Roy Drusky -- see artist profile

George Ducas "George Ducas" (Liberty Records, 1994)
(Produced by Richard Bennett)
This disc didn't make a dent in the charts, but it sure sounds fine from where I stand... I'll admit Ducas doesn't have a great, perfectly professional voice -- he's got great tone, and a personal warmth that comes through loud and clear, but he falters in little ways that make this a flawed jewel on the major label alter. Still, I found this disc consistently interesting; they might not have "punched up" the weak spots to make it radio-perfect, but Ducas still has a feel for real country music that's quite refreshing to hear, giving us a pleasant mix of Rodney Crowell's traditionalism and Chris Isaak's croon. Plus, what a great songwriter! These are all original compositions, ten crisp honkytonk tunes that place Ducas in the forefront of the neo-trad country crowd. Also notable are his alt-ish collaborators on this album, including Jim Lauderdale and Kim Richey, as well as a pre- solo career Deryl Dodd. Nice record, and definitely worth tracking down.

George Ducas "Where I Stand" (Capitol Records, 1997)
(Produced by Richard Bennett & Peter Coleman)
A lot of the same folks followed Ducas onto this album, notably producer/guitarist Richard Bennett. Jim Lauderdale and Kim Richey, with other notable contributions of steel player Al Perkins, alt-country avatar Buddy Miller, and even Vice Gill chiming in with some harmony vocals. Sounds pretty cool to me, both literally and figuratively. Of course, with that level of true-twang talent involved, Ducas's days as a Top Country artist were limited: this album was mishandled during the ever-changing corporate churn and only scored a couple of modest hits. Ducas shifted his attention to a more-explosive career as a top Nashville songwriter, providing hits for Gary Allan, Garth Brooks, The Dixie Chicks, Sara Evans and others, while he retreated from the spotlight in favor of a more low-key approach to his own solo work, touring nationally as an opening act and choosing to focus on his regional popularity back home in Texas.

George Ducas "Volume Up, Windows Down" (Propel Records, 2010)
(Produced by George Ducas)
A transitional, six-song EP recorded in Nashville and containing all-original material, with every song either written or co-written by George Ducas. I assume this was kind of a songwriter's demo, though I'm not sure if any other these songs were recorded by anyone else. Three of these songs were included on his subsequent album, 4340, though I don't know if they were the same versions or re-recordings.

George Ducas "4340" (Loud Ranch Records, 2013)
(Produced by George Ducas & Matt McClure)
I hate to say it, but this record -- the first from Ducas in years -- was a big disappointment. And I'm a big George Ducas fan: in the prefab world of 1990's Nashville, he was an avatar of inventive, assertive neotraditionalism, a reassuringly robust honkytonker with a modern sensibility. Twenty years later, he seems to have lost faith in his original muse, choosing instead to bang out a loud, aggressive, rock-tinged modern stuff in a bid to keep up with the current crop of beefy-teed, empty-headed, flash-in-the-pan country stars of the moment. It's possible that the folks who are into dudes like Big & Rich, Luke Bryan or Eric Church might also enjoy this -- pop open a sixpack and crank it up loud, whatever. But my DNA doesn't allow me to go down that road... I miss the older (well, actually the younger) George Ducas, the guy who thumbed his nose at by-the-numbers musicmaking and held the line for a little true twang and soul. Oh, well. Other Ducas fans will want to check it out anyway, and see if maybe this brash new album resonates more for them than it did for me.

George Ducas "Yellow Rose Motel" (Loud Ranch Records, 2019)

Dave Dudley -- see artist profile

Due West "Forget The Miles" (EP) (Black River Records, 2011)
The lone record, as far as I know, from the trio of Tim Gates, Brad Hull and Matt Lopez, who aimed for a Top Forty sound on this six-song EP. Gates and Hull were also in the Nashville Tribute Band, a (Mormon?) country gospel group active between 2007-2018. The Black River label was kind of a haven for second-tier Nashville artists, particularly for top forty types who wanted to make Christian albums.

Johnny Duncan -- see artist profile

Whitney Duncan "Whitney Duncan" (Self-Released, 2007)

Whitney Duncan "Right Road Now" (Warner Nashville, 2010)
(Produced by Mark Bright & John Shanks)

Whitney Duncan "One Shot" (Self-Released, 2013)
(Produced by Jonathan Singleton)

Holly Dunn -- see artist profile

Ronnie Dunn "Ronnie Dunn" (Sony Nashville, 2011)
(Produced by Ronnie Dunn)
A solo set from one half of the chart-topping Brooks & Dunn country duo...

Ronnie Dunn "Peace, Love And Country Music" (Little Will-E Music, 2013)
(Produced by Ronnie Dunn & Jeff Balding)

Ronnie Dunn "Tattooed Heart" (Nash Icon Records, 2016)
(Produced by Ronnie Dunn, Jay Demarcus & Tommy Lee James)

Ronnie Dunn "Re-Dunn" (Ronniedunn.com, 2019)
(Produced by Ronnie Dunn, Steve Marcantonio, Seth Morton & Jordan Reed)
A self-released 2-CD set of Ronnie Dunn with "re-Dunn" covers of two dozen of his favorite songs, old hits from other artists, including a ton of great singalong classics: "Amarillo By Morning," "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)," "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues," Rodney Crowell's "Ashes By Now," Gary Stewart's "Drinkin' Thing," Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight," "It Never Rains In Southern California," and (yay) yet another cover of Pure Prairie League's always-fab "Amie." Et cetera. Formerly an avatar of the slickest of Nashville pop, here Dunn shows surprising range and depth with the material he champions, a nice window into his influences and personal preferences. I haven't heard this one yet, but I really want to.

Ronnie Dunn "100 Proof Neon" (Ronniedunn.com, 2022)
(Produced by Ronnie Dunn & Steve Marcantonio)

John Durrill "Just For The Record" (United Artists Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Snuff Garrett)
A dreadful, drekky '70s AOR/disco pop album from songwriter John Durrill, who was the keyboard player in the '60s pop group, The Five Americans. Like me, you might be fooled into thinking this was a country record, because of Snuff Garrett's participation, and because several songs were co-written with Sandy Pinkard of the country (comedy duo of Pinkard & Bowden). Actually, I guess this is meant to be a split album: Side One is pure pop (and purely bad) while Side Two has several country-tinged tunes, with a little bit of pedal steel and some banjo on the closing track. I guess it was meant to be a "country side," but it's also pretty forgettable. Despite the miserable tepidness of this album, Durrill did manage to crack into the country market in the early '80s, when Merle Haggard had a #3 hit with his song "Misery And Gin," from the soundtrack to the Clint Eastwood film, Bronco Billy, as well as contributing songs to similar flicks such as Any Which Way You Can and Smokey and The Bandit 2. He also had several songs recorded by Cher, which probably gives you a better idea of what this album sounds like...

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Hick Music Index

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